Product Description:
A Cryptanthus bromeliad is an easy to grow, small and colorful plant to have in your home .Cryptanthus Bromeliads are a rather funky looking houseplant with stiff, slightly coarse leaves. Is a member of the Bromeliaceae family of tropical plants. Because Earth stars naturally occur on rainforest floors, they will appreciate similar conditions in your home.
Light:
Forest floors don’t naturally receive a lot of sunlight, as most of it is blocked out by larger trees, so direct sun is not needed for Earth stars and will actually cause burn damage.
Soil:
When it comes to soil, it’s all about balance. Like many rainforest plants, Earth stars love soil that can maintain high moisture levels but don’t like standing in water all the time. A regular potting soil with sphagnum moss should be fine, though its a good idea to also mix in some sand or perlite.
Temperature:
Unless you live in a very moderate climate, Earth stars are strictly indoor plants for most of the year, as they do best at room temperature.
Water:
Aim to keep the roots lightly moist in spring and summer, but not soggy. Cryptanthus is stemless and has shallow roots, making it prone to rot if the potting medium is kept wet
Location:
A moist environment is appreciated. This means that if you have some space in your bathroom, kitchen or even a greenhouse, it will be much easier to provide moisture this plant needs.
Humidity:
Earth Stars want higher-than-average humidity. Try to maintain at least 50% relative humidity near your plant.
Fertilizer:
Feed monthly spring through summer with a balanced water-soluble fertilizer. Or mist the leaves with a weak foliar fertilizer once a month
Propagating Cryptanthus:
If you notice your Earth star(s) blooming, they will unfortunately die soon. No need to worry, though. After the plant has finished blooming you should see small pups appear. Once these clones of the mother plant have some leaves of their own, you can remove and replant them.
Repotting
They don’t need it often, If you need to repot yours, spring and summer are the best times to do it.